Boat Street Cafe, Shanik, and Jason Stratton are all on the way out. What more can you take from us, universe?

Cloudburst BrewingElysian Fields lead brewer Steve Luke will be departing the company to open his own brewery in the space previously filled by Elliott Bay Bicycles. Read up on the details of the move (which, by the way, predates Anheuser-Busch’s acquisition of the craft brewery) on yesterday’s Nosh Pit post.

Chick-fil-AThe Southern fast-food chain—as maligned for its CEO’s political stances as it is adored for its fried chicken sandwiches—is ready to open the first of three planned Chick-fil-A locations around Puget Sound, writes Bethany Jean Clement of TheSeattle Times. The first will be coming to Bellevue on March 26.

Pecos Pit West SeattleSoDo’s beloved barbecue joint will be opening a West Seattle location in the former Beni Hoshi Teriyaki space on 35th and Fauntleroy, according to the West Seattle Blog. They’re still in the renovation stage, and plan to add a patio and reserved parking. No word on an official open date yet.

CLOSINGS

ShanikSay it isn’t so. Meeru Dhalwala, chef and creative force behind her husband Vikram Vij’s eponymous Vancouver eatery, will be closing her Indian restaurant in South Lake Union on March 21. In a neighborhood where everyone is looking to grab a casual drink after work, the upscale Shanik just wasn’t able to sustain enough weeknight customers. Dhalwala has hinted that she has future ventures up her sleeve.

Boat Street CafeAnother big-deal closure: Renee Erickson will be closing her intimate first restaurant on May 30 after 17 years at the helm. Taking over for owner Susan Kaplan at the age of 25 launched Erickson’s culinary empire, which now includes an oyster bar, a small-plates spot, a gorgeous cookbook, and two forthcoming Capitol Hill restaurants. Kaplan's neighboring Boat Street Kitchen is still going strong with lunch, brunch, catering, and now some dinners in the mix.

Jason StrattonWhoa. Newly James Beard–longlisted chef Jason Stratton—he of the wildly popular Spinasse, Artusi, and Vespolina—confirmed on Saturday that he would be leaving all three of his restaurants, effective immediately. A good deal of mystery surrounds the departure, but he did confirm to our own Allecia Vermillion that he’d be heading to Spain to live with his longtime partner. Check out our Nosh Pit post for more details on the surprising announcement.